L’Anse Aux Meadows

(We didn't come all the way to the North end of Newfoundland just for whales, we actually came to see L’Anse Aux Meadows.)

Up on the farthest part of the northern coast of Newfoundland is a small, poor, fishing village whose world got turned upside down in 1960. This was the year that a thousand year old Viking (Norse) settlement was discovered. The Norse sagas hinted at a settlement in a land they called Vinland, and many people had gone looking for it to prove that the Vikings came to North America long before other Europeans. Proof was found on these windblown shores, forever changing our understanding of history and people movement in the world. The Vikings came to these shores a thousand years ago and stayed for a very brief time (Ten years, at the most.). Their goal: to collect the abundant resources of the area, and send them back to their settlement in Greenland. They only left a small imprint on the land, but their arrival signified something much more profound – the migration of people around the world was complete. East met west – the full circle around the globe. (Note: Viking was the name given to those Norse who were out raiding, only. The rest of the population were Norse. But, popular culture has caused the name to blanket the entire population. There is much misconception about the Norse people, but for certain, they were smart, daring, and innovative.)

L’Anse Aux Meadows is now a National Historic Site. The fishing village (of the same name) is still there, and one of the Parks interpreter’s and guides is a lifetime resident. He was present during the original excavations, and listening to his firsthand accounts of the digs, the discoveries, and all the changes that followed was fascinating.  

All that is left of the original buildings is some low grassy mounds. Once excavations were complete, Parks Canada left them be, and built replicas of some of the buildings for tourists to come enjoy. 

These sod covered buildings were constructed as authentic to form as possible, and are staffed by costumed interpreters who know quite a bit about how the Norse lived a thousand years ago (or maybe, just maybe, we stepped into a time warp when we crossed the threshold of the building, as the children like to think.)

We learned all sorts of interesting tidbits. Morgan provided some lovely music (and I mean that truthfully) on the lyre, while a lady demonstrated how to card raw wool. Lily spoke for a long time with the weaver, who was also a tradeswoman. Lily tried her own hand at weaving, and did a pretty good job of it. (I swear, the kid is born in the wrong era – she weaves and milks cows like a pro!) The weaver also informed Lily that if she were Norse, she would be married off when she turned 12 or 13. Lily hid behind me, and, looking up, stated “Don’t even think about it!”  (snort!)

Just down the road from the original site is Norstead, a modern interpretation of how the Viking Settlement might have looked, had the Norse stayed. 

Visiting both isn't strictly necessary, but each provides a different perspective for facets of Norse life, and gives a more rounded picture of what life might have been like for these people. 

Lily liked the sheep and chickens, and learning about how wool was dyed different colors. 

I wish I had taken more pictures of the Viking replica ship, the Snorri. At 54 feet, it’s shorter than the original vessels, but is an actual sailing ship. In 1998, she was sailed from Greenland to L’Anse Aux Meadows, a journey of 89 days. This ship is a rather amazing design, and a testament to the Viking’s mastery of the sea, and of shipbuilding. It can hold 13 tonnes (that’s a lot!), with only a draft of 3 and a half feet (meaning the ship’s keel is only 3.5 feet under the water’s surface – really, really shallow for a ship that size).

We tried to apprentice Morgan off to the blacksmith, but he was having none of that. Lily took up the job of apprentice (even though apprenticeship would normally begin at age 7), and pumped the bellows for several minutes before tiring and wandering off to play on the rocks with her brother. 

It was very interesting learning about Viking life a thousand years ago, and getting a better picture of the history of my own continent. We spent much of the day touring these two sites, and then driving around the area, taking pictures of icebergs, coastline, beautiful harbours and alpine flowers, just getting a feel for the place. And then it was time to say goodbye.